


Cold Skin, Hot Coffee

by temp0rarykiss



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Alice Cullen Being a Good Sister, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Angst and Humor, Bella Swan & Human Friends - Freeform, Bella Swan with a Backbone, Coffee Shops, College, Edward Cullen Being An Asshole, Edward Cullen Needs a Hug, Ex-Boyfriend Jacob Black, F/M, First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Good Parent Charlie Swan, Human Bella Swan, Protective Edward Cullen, Twilight Renaissance, listen just trust me I'm not a mormon woman in the early 2000s but I do love a good coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:21:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25391542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/temp0rarykiss/pseuds/temp0rarykiss
Summary: "Would you like anything?" Bella breathed, his black eyes trailing up from his writing to look at her."Just the one black coffee," he muttered, an equally pained and surprised look crossing his face as she approached his side of the counter from where she'd been sitting.When she returned to give him his drink, he was gone, a few bills on the counter where his journal had been resting minutes before.-In which Bella is a barista near the UW campus, and the Cullens are trying very hard to act human.
Relationships: Edward Cullen/Bella Swan
Comments: 8
Kudos: 63





	1. hot black coffee

**Author's Note:**

> this work will be largely edited by me, so please excuse any grammar mistakes :'-)  
> for clarification, in this AU the Cullens still live in Forks, but they're two years older than in the books, so they graduated before Bella arrived. all the "children" are attending UW!

In the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington State, a small town named Forks exists under near-constant cover of clouds-- it rains on this inconsequential town more than any other place in the United States of America. Just 140 miles southwest, however, the University of Washington provides a quintessential college campus in equally gloomy Seattle, complete with cathedral-like buildings on a sprawling campus, all graced by carefully landscaped greenery. 

After a rocky junior and senior experience at Forks High School, Bella Swan had grown to appreciate the cold and wet of her new home that she had once shyly detested. Upon uprooting her life for the sake of her mother's happiness, she quickly grew to understand that, while Forks lacked the sun and scorch of Arizona, her peers were incredibly welcoming. They'd been practically enthralled for someone new to shake up the stale social life of their small town, and Bella had been glad to no longer be the book-smart outcast cliche. In no time at all, Bella grew from disgruntled to contented at her circumstances, and could genuinely tell her helicopter mother that she was happy to be in Forks.

Of course, it didn't hurt that there was a boy.

Upon her move to Forks, Bella was immediately reacquainted with a childhood friend-- Jacob Black, the son of her father's very best friend, Billy Black. Whether it was Bella's longing for a close friend, Jacob's growth spurt shortly after her arrival, or their fathers "coincidentally" letting them spend an inordinate amount of alone time together, it wasn't long before Bella and Jacob had progressed from friends, to something more. And while Jacob's two year plan had come to fruition faster than he'd anticipated, he couldn't say he minded.  
But as graduation neared, and Jacob became oddly possessive around her friends, Bella toyed with the idea of ending things. There were certainly roadblocks ahead: Bella's move to UW, 3 and 1/2 hours away; Jacob's remaining time in highschool; and finally, the issue that set a fire on her face for all to see when she thought about it.

Jacob was convinced from early on that, given how well they knew one another, and how well their relationship had progressed, that they were "ready." Bella hadn't been so keen. Jacob wasn't sure if it boiled down to an old-fashioned state of mind, a fear of the act itself, or both, but he'd given her time. So much time, in his eyes. Bella didn't deny that she'd thought about it. Low lights in her bedroom, dads out of town on a fishing trip, candles lit, something soft and pretty to set the mood on her CD player. She'd even prepared for it once, down to the detail, certain it'd change things, but she still found herself chickening out at the last minute. It wasn't that she wasn't attracted to Jake-- she was. But something inside tugged her away every time they came close. Even she didn't know if it was cold feet or plain aversion...but it'd become a sparring point between her and Jake. 

Thus, like she had with her mother two years earlier, Bella made a decision she believed was best for both parties. While it pained her to break things off with Jacob, there were so many available excuses for their split. It was far too easy to explain, with a hushed voice and teary eyes, that she wanted to try to be alone when she went off to college that fall. As Bella returned to her truck after meeting Jake, she felt as if some invisible weight was lifted off of her shoulders. Jake was a big boy! He'd be fine. Sure, he was prone to the theatrical when he was upset, but surely he, too, had seen the shift in their relationship. He had to. 

Weeks later, while Bella followed Charlie's cruiser on the highway to Seattle, the anxiety and excitement for a new chapter washed over her. She'd already secured a job at a coffee shop via phone interview, not too far from the on-campus apartments she'd be living in. Charlie had protested that she'd miss out on dorm life, but between Bella's contentment in cooking for herself (which presented the need for a kitchen) and the attractive scholarship she was receiving from the English program, Charlie found that he couldn't really complain. Mostly he was just worried about college boys.

After unloading her belongings from her truck and Charlie's cruiser into her second-floor apartment, Bella practically fell onto her couch. After they'd set up her extra furniture (the rocking chair from her room, a nostalgic piece to add to the pre-furnished apartment, a bedside table, and a few other items from home), she and Charlie had exchanged a meaningful, but properly short I love you and goodbye, and he'd returned to the cruiser. Renee hadn't been able to come, both due to a lack of budgeting and time on her part, but Bella hadn't minded too much. She missed her mother, but she knew this change would be harder with her teary goodbyes.

Orientation was a blur, and when the week was up, Bella found that she'd been adequately trained at her new workplace already. As clumsy as she normally felt, there was something slow and methodical about coffee. She found she worked as well behind the counter as she did making dinner for herself and Charlie back home, which made her take note that she should call him. Even on a busy night, when the shop was filled to the brim with students, already looking exhausted from their studies, she found she was still able to find time to sit on the stool by the register, and crack open whatever she had checked out from the library on campus. Angela and Ben had already visited her at work on a few occasions, getting their drinks and loitering near the counter to chat until another customer came to the register. Seeing her friends so happy together made her ache a bit for the familiar comfort of Jacob, but she made it a point to push these feelings out when they came creeping into her thoughts.

As the weeks went by, Bella saw more and more of a particular set of customers. A pale, pixie-like girl with a trendy haircut and amber eyes often occupied a booth in the corner of the restaurant, accompanied by her stoic blonde boyfriend. They each ordered their coffee hot and black, orders that didn't quite match their outward style. Soon enough, they were often joined by another couple, this time a platinum-blonde, model-looking girl, and her beefcake of a boyfriend. They, too, ordered their coffee hot and black. It wasn't like Bella was complaining about their easy orders-- she'd met many a customer who had a long list of demands, ranging from sweeteners to milk to temperature. It was rather the fact that they ordered said coffee, and barely seemed to touch it at all. Once or twice, she'd see them take precarious sips from the mugs sitting on their table, but when Bella went to clear it off after they'd left, she'd find the mugs still full, but incredibly cold to the touch.

Although this habit of theirs intrigued her, she found it better not to pry. From their clothes and the cars she saw them pull up in, she could assume their financial background. Maybe they were simply rich socialite students, too busy chatting amongst themselves to be bothered to drink the (relatively expensive) coffee. She set aside her curiosity, deciding it wasn't odd enough for her to dig any deeper, and definitely not pressing enough for her to be creepy, and potentially lose her job. But still, when their group came in and occupied the corner booth, she couldn't help but be distracted by their radiant looks and charming smiles, too Hollywood-esque to simply be a group of twenty-something students.

However, all her repressed curiosity returned when a boy with messy copper hair and strange black eyes came in to sit at the counter one evening. 

The corner group had noticed him, and waved him over, but he simply smiled and returned to whatever he was writing in the pages of a thick, leather-bound journal. Bella was on the far end behind the counter, sitting on her stool and lost in an Austen, when she curiously observed him in his concentration. The cream colored turtleneck he wore complemented his lean muscles and pale skin, similar to the corner group, who she assumed might be related to him. As the old AC in the building kicked on, shocking her back from her daydream, Bella figured she should do her job, and ask for his order. 

"Would you like anything?" Bella breathed, his black eyes trailing up from his writing to look at her.

"Just the one black coffee," he muttered, an equally pained and surprised look crossing his face as she approached his side of the counter from where she'd been sitting. 

He drew his hand up to his nose as if he had smelled something awful, the pain in his eyes turning to a scowl. Bella turned to fill a mug, and wondered what she'd done to elicit such a reaction from a stranger, covertly smelling her hair while her back was to him. Just as she suspected-- the same strawberry scent from the shampoo she'd always used. Odd.

When she returned to give him his drink, he was gone, a few bills on the counter where his journal had been resting minutes before.


	2. hot maple latte, almond milk, no whip

As the Washington summer blended into the fall, Bella continued to throw herself into her schooling and her work. She often heard from Charlie (a text, call, or email every couple days, even a postcard from a new fishing spot he ventured to with Billy, reading "Love you, Bells"), and received the occasional update from Jacob, too attached to cut contact completely. Charlie had briefly mentioned in a call that Jacob had been MIA for at least a month, but Bella wasn't sure what that entailed. When she expressed her worry, Charlie assured her that "the kid was probably fine," and that Bella need not worry because "Billy's a good dad Bells, I'm sure it'll pan out fine."  
Bella knew all too well that Jake was subject to disappearing with his friends, sometimes for whole weekends, causing them to cancel dates or plans. When she pressed him for the reason of his sudden cancellations, he'd always find a way to distract her, or change the subject entirely, in his warm Jacob way of doing things. She'd learned to not let it get to her too much. 

Angela had started coming to the cafe sans Ben, sensing Bella's still-healing heart. Angela understood that, although Bella had been the one to break things off with Jacob, it'd been difficult, and she was still tender from the severance. On most weeknights, Angela would come in and sit at the counter, working on her laptop or reading a book, quietly keeping Bella company. Angela's was a habitual order, one she'd had since high school when she and Bella would go to the Starbucks in Port Angeles after scouring the Barnes & Noble for an hour or two. Hot maple latte, almond milk, no whip. Bella had smiled when she first ordered it at the cafe, remembering high school memories of drives down the highway, and double dates with Angela and Ben. It was good to have a friend at UW-- Bella struggled to socialize, working as much as she did, cursing herself silently as she realized that, as Charlie had said, the freshman dorms had their benefits. She was friendly with customers, and a few people had even slipped her their numbers on the receipts or napkins, slipping them to her as they were leaving the cafe. Not that that interested her, but it felt nice to be noticed.

Mostly, she was glad that the cafe had forced her to be a little less awkward around people her age. She'd always felt out of place with her peers, even Angela at times. She wanted to scoff at herself when thoughts like these crossed her mind-- they sounded elitist and exclusionary, designed to put others down. But she'd always felt different. Off. 

"You okay, Bella?" her friend's lilting voice asked, seeing her dazed and lost in thought.

Bella quickly recovered, shooting Angela a smile. "Just making a to-do list in my head. Budgeting. Grocery list. Boring adult stuff." Bella prayed she wouldn't ask about Jake, or her social life, or how she was doing.

Angela smiled, looking back down at her laptop, not pressing further. She knew better than to poke Bella. It only pushed her farther into her shell.

She was a good friend like that...she knew when to accept the excuses.

Pretty soon, Angela packed up, leaving Bella to her thoughts and other customers once more. Bella had gotten used to the monotony of her life in Seattle, of the foggy walks across the quad, the short drive to work. She loved her classes, of course. She'd wanted to study literature and publishing since she could remember, never finding much value in other interests. She wasn't unhappy in Seattle, but she wasn't adjusted to this change. She wished she had her mother's willingness for change, the way Renee could ebb and flow with life wherever it took her. But Bella knew better-- there was a reason she'd had to grow up as quickly as she did. 

Renee had called incessantly since August, eager to know the ins and outs of Bella's college social circle, disappointed to hear that Bella was still tending to her 9:00 pm bedtime. When the subject of boys came up, both Jacob and the scowling boy from the cafe crossed her mind. He'd since returned to the cafe after the incident, entering through the back, and sitting on the inner corner in the booth, not ordering with his siblings. Bella had continued to steal glances in his direction, telling herself she wasn't _that_ interested. She was just wondering what kind of hipstery stick was up his butt. And what would his coppery hair feel like between her fingers. And what his favorite book was.

She'd elected to not tell Renee about the mystery man.

Bella was so preoccupied, she hardly noticed when the pixie-like girl with the trendy hair walked into the cafe alone, without her usual group. The sprightly girl sat at the counter instead of occupying her normal booth in the corner, bright amber eyes fixed on Bella while she busied herself cleaning up, lost in thought.

"Hello!"

Bella was caught off guard by her bright, melodic voice. She sounded like a bell would, if bells had voices.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you come in! Can I get you anything?" Bella chirped, customer service voice on. She blushed, hoping the girl hadn't been waiting too long while she was out in the stratosphere.

"Just the usual, one black coffee-"

"Hot. Right. I'll have that to you in just a sec."

They exchanged familiar smiles, the way a regular and a seasoned employee do.

"My name is Alice, by the way. It's been rude of me to come in here so often, but neglect to introduce myself!" 

Bella let a soft smile spread across her face. "No worries. I've had many a ruder customer than you. It's nice to meet you, Alice. I'm Bella."

"I know," Alice giggled, " I read your name tag awhile ago. I'm introducing myself because I think it'd be in both our best interests if we became friends."

Bella raised a surprised, and flattered, eyebrow. "And why is that?" she asked, a curious smile on her face.

"Let's just say that I have a pretty strong intuition."

Bella would have to take her word for it.

\---

Edward had told her not to interfere.

"But Edward, I've shown you! You've seen it! She and I are meant to be friends. It's not fair for you to rule it out entirely!"

Alice had been a buzzing in his ear since the moment his siblings returned home that day, questioning why he'd disappeared, and exclaiming that she'd had a vision of him and the girl who worked the counter at the cafe they'd been frequenting. He'd finally come, at Alice's request, but didn't have the heart to be a public fifth wheel with his adoptive siblings. He sat at a counter seat, scrawling in a journal, pretending to be occupied so his sister wouldn't drag him to their table. When the girl behind the counter approached him (he'd since been informed her name was Bella), he was assaulted with a burning in his throat from her scent, and the strange realization that, for the first time in his immortal life, he'd encountered someone whose thoughts didn't seep from their psyche into his.

After managing to mutter an order to her, he'd scattered some cash on the table and fled, afraid of what he would attempt if he stayed.

He'd stayed away from the cafe for a week, returning again only because his siblings were annoyed by his moody behavior at home. Rosalie had snapped and insisted that if, Edward didn't get out of the house, she would drag him by the scruff of the neck to go partake in "human activities." They'd been Alice's idea.

Since then, the girl's face had returned time and time again to his thoughts. Perhaps it was because of his sister's nagging-- but he'd long since learned to tune out Alice's persistence. Maybe it was because the girl (Bella, he reminded himself) was an anomaly. The first blip in a century of being swarmed by the internal monologues of others, the only thing that'd piqued his interest in months, and it just so happens to be attached to the most dangerously tempting scent he'd encountered. He stifled a laugh. Of course.

So when Alice returned home one evening, an "I-told-you-so" smile set into her marble face, Edward was only expecting the worst.

With Alice's meddling habits, he had to.

"Her full name is Isabella, and she's also from Forks! Charlie Swan's daughter. You remember him, right? The police chief?"

Edward sighed, nodding. He might as well go along with it. It wasn't like he wasn't curious. 

"Well, anyway. She's an English major, with an emphasis in publishing. She loves classic literature, and she's rereading Mansfield Park at the moment. She's moved to Forks from Arizona, and she misses the heat, but she says she's grown to love Washington. She calls her parents by their first names. Her only real friend at UW is a preacher's daughter she graduated with, she has no discernible sense of style, and she's incredibly kind. I love her."

"Don't you think you're rushing into this?" Edward snapped. "Didn't I make it clear that I'm not going to leave something like this to chance?"

Alice pouted, and glared at her brother. "Have you considered that you're bumming me out with your pessimism? Edward, you have a real chance here! Your first chance in a century of brooding to connect with someone. Don't you want to try?" 

"At what cost?"

Alice sighed.

"You'll never know if you don't see for yourself."

That night, Edward followed her scent from the cafe to an apartment building on the university's campus. Finding a window unlocked, the latch painted over and forgotten, he silently slipped inside. He despised covert activity, finding it intrusive, but he'd been inhuman for long enough that he could stand to ignore gentlemanly habit.

He found her wrapped in a sheet, a dreamcatcher hanging from a pushpin on the wall above her headboard. He smiled vaguely at this, wondering who might've gifted it to her. She turned over restlessly, a small scowl on her sleeping face. 

He wondered what she might be dreaming of. He was surprised to find he was incredibly eager to know.

She shifted again, her pale face turning back to him, her features now smooth. She exhaled a sweet breath, and a dreamy smile crossed her lips for a moment.

He hated when Alice was right.


	3. flat white

Bella was busying herself wiping down tables just before the evening crowd when he came in, covertly eyeing her from across the room. He would not fuck it up this time.

He sat at the counter, laying his journal on the surface, and began to write, trying to appear preoccupied. She continued to work, taking note of the fact that there was a customer, but focusing on the task at hand. 

Edward tried again to zero in on her thoughts, but to no avail.

He was stunned to find, once again, that her thoughts were silent to him. Never before had he encountered such an obstacle. It enthralled him. Although his human memories were only fuzzy recollections, he wondered if this is what it would have felt like to have a crush-- complicated, thrilling, unknown. 

He smiled at the foreign, almost immature thought.

A crush.

He sensed her shift in direction, headed back to her station behind the counter. Headed his way. He knew he could control himself this time-- he’d hunted beforehand to ensure just that. Yet, he wondered if the proximity of her scent would continue to burn his throat the way it had previously.

“You gonna play hooky, or can I trust you to just sit and drink your coffee this time?”

Edward looked up, a coy smile spreading across his face. It was a dig, but a clever one. Bella’s breath halted for a moment, not noticeable to human ears, but Edward heard. He found that, with her scent this close, it was more like teasing than torture.

“I think you can trust me to stay put this round...but no promises,” he chuckled, leaning forward a bit, just to test himself.

Bella, thankfully, laughed in response. She had one of those breathy, awkward laughs. Not quite nervous. Sweet and genuine. Suddenly, Edward found he wanted to make her laugh again.

“Black coffee, hot?” she asked. He noticed she leaned forward as she said it, seemingly testing the waters in response. 

“How’d you guess?” he playfully inquired, picking up his pen again, wondering if it was too soon to start writing sonnets, or composing symphonies.

“It’s the same thing your...siblings?” she questioned, cocking her head.

“Adoptive. Two Hales, three Cullens. Edward, by the way.”

“Bella. Glad to actually make your acquaintance this time.”

He smiled at that.

“Well, anyways, it’s what your siblings order too,” she finished. She didn’t bother to mention that none of them ever seemed to finish it. 

“I guess we all have singular taste,” he laughed, “Our mother and father always drank it black. Guess it’s out of habit.”

He was used to making up the mundane, covering for less-than-normal habits, making himself and his siblings seem picky or eccentric, rather than supernatural. Making up these little details for her, however, seemed to rub him the wrong way.

As she set a steaming mug in front of him, he reached for his wallet.

“No worries-- this one’s on the house,” she asserted.

“Nonsense.”

“Seriously, it’s on me. You ran away before you could actually drink it last time,” Bella teased, turning to put a bill in the register from her apron. 

“Thank you,” he murmured, taking a sip. He imagined it would’ve been a lovely roast, if human sustenance actually registered on his palette. 

Bella tried to make herself seem occupied, find a task behind the counter, but she realized she’d done all her pre-crowd chores already. She stole a glance at the mystery man, now armed with the knowledge that his name was Edward. A bit antiquated, but a good name-- one that also belonged to a favorite Austen love interest.

She wanted to kick herself for launching into the flirting, even if accidentally. Bella had been cooking up comebacks and digs for the day when he eventually interacted with her again. It seemed he’d had a change of heart? Or maybe whatever had initially crawled up his ass and died had made its way out.

“Where are you from?”

She turned, finding he was looking at her expectantly, waiting for an answer. 

So they’d graduated from fleeing, to sudden personal questions? Interesting.

“Well that depends on who you ask. Originally, or most recently?” 

Although he already knew from Alice’s overzealous debrief, he knew he would be happy to listen to her for hours, to learn it all from her directly. But he recognized that he needed to slow down before he ended up with a foot in his mouth.

“It seems we both have time for an origin story, if you’re willing?” he implored, silently begging the universe that she would, in fact, be willing.

“Well, if we both have the time,” she breathed, smiling in spite of herself.

God, he was charming. She couldn’t help it.

\- - -

“So you just jumped off a cliff? Just because he said not to?” he asked, shocked.

“It was recreational! I just really couldn’t stand that he had told me I shouldn’t, so I went for it. Then I remembered I was a crappy swimmer, and suddenly it became clear why he’d been so against it in the first place,” she chuckled, remembering Jacob coming in after her, and grumbling as he dragged her through the water back to shore.

She didn’t realize it immediately, but when she returned home that evening, it dawned on her that this was the first time she had talked about Jacob freely, and without the ache in her chest that usually accompanied that topic.

“I wouldn’t peg you as an adrenaline junkie,” Edward remarked, glad to be surprised by the thoughts and actions of someone else.

“I wouldn’t say I am one,” Bella laughed, “But I think I have trouble doing what others tell me to. I mean, the whole reason I even ended up in Forks was because _I_ decided I knew what was best, not my mother.”

Edward had the feeling that, although she was only 19 in the flesh, her soul was more comparable in age to his.

In the momentary silence, Bella was surprised to find herself admiring Edward and his almost inhuman looks. Although she’d been giving him a mental stink-eye for weeks, even she couldn’t deny that he was practically Greek god-esque in terms of beauty. His coppery hair complemented his incredibly fair skin, and his eyes-- which she suddenly realized were a different shade than she remembered.

“Are you wearing contacts?” Bella blurted out.

He would’ve tensed, if he wasn’t practically made of marble.

“Sorry, just um, last time you were sitting this close your eyes looked almost black, and now they’re more....golden-brown?”

“It’s uh, the fluorescents,” he muttered.

“Ah, right.”

Both were silent for a moment. A customer approached the counter, providing a short recess from the awkward exchange, and time for Edward to quickly mull over the (possibly idiotic) idea that had just popped into his head.

“Would you like to spend some time together not at your place of work?” 

Bella’s breath hitched in her chest again, for what felt like the hundredth time that evening. How did he manage to sound like he was from an entirely different time? Worse yet, why did it make her blush and forget to breathe?

“You want to hang out?” she asked, trying to make it a more casual affair.

“Yes. Just in a different setting, and preferably with you not wearing an apron.”

Bella smiled.

“I know someone else we should invite.”

\- - -

Edward had not guessed that he would ever have a reason to use the word “cockblock.”

However, at this moment, Alice was a strong contender.

_Edward, wipe that scowl off of your face. You’re not as sly as you think you are. Besides, she invited me! We are **friends** after all. And what happened to taking it slow?_

Even in her internal monologue, Alice found a way to be infuriating.

Honestly, even Edward couldn’t begin to understand why he’d attempted to spend time with this girl so soon. He was breaking his own rules, moving far too fast. Thankfully for him, she’d managed to slow them down tenfold by extending an invite to the sibling who wanted most to be involved.

They’d begun the evening by grabbing coffee at a different cafe than usual, as Bella had expressed an interest, since she hadn’t tried much outside of her workplace. She’d ordered a flat white, which she remarked was “probably better than hers.” She made a mental note to practice making flat whites.

Then, a trip to a local bookstore, where Edward had to try incredibly hard to divert his attention from her joyful expression when browsing the classical fiction section. She’d practically been glowing. Bella blushed furiously when Edward asked if she was a particular fan of Austen and her “romanticism.”

Alice had been both helpful and hindersome. At times, she’d happen to wander to another section of the store, acting interested in vintage issues of Vogue, or pretending to have a use for cookbooks. Edward would briefly spark conversation with Bella, full of smiles and her telltale blush, and then Alice would cut in again. 

He didn’t know if it was for his sake, or Alice’s.

Either way, he was still just glad to make Bella smile.

After the bookstore, Alice managed to drag the group to a row of trendy boutiques, insisting Bella try something on. Edward didn’t need to read Bella’s thoughts to feel the mental eyeroll that came with this suggestion. But, surprisingly enough, Bella was accommodating and agreed to Alice’s proposal.

It seemed that, even when it came to the miniscule, Bella just wanted to make the people around her happy. Edward couldn’t help but chuckle at her reluctant consent to being Alice’s Barbie doll. 

Alice, as always, enjoyed playing dress-up. She found that Bella’s reluctance lessened when the outfits were subdued, closer to Bella’s simple style. This forced Alice to grin and bear it, much to her chagrin, and much to Edward’s enjoyment. And both in Alice’s understanding of her preferences, and in watching the siblings’ teasing rapport, Bella found a funny kind of comfort.

When Bella wasn’t looking, Alice purchased the outfits she’d liked best on her, and presented them to Bella. Bella, both honored and horrified, took the gift, which Alice insisted she had to accept. For fear of being rude, and what Alice would do if she said no, Bella accepted.

Edward inwardly snorted.

Then, as if by some miracle, Jasper “happened” to call with a last-minute obligation for himself and Alice, and she was off.

_Don’t fuck this up Edward. She’s unsure, but she likes you. Keep it casual. Friendship first, whatever the hell it is **you** want later on! Mental winky face._

For once, Edward found he was thankful for Alice’s meddling.

“So,” he said, turning to Bella, “where to?”


	4. coca-cola

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again readers!!
> 
> my apologies for being MIA for the last month and a half-- I'm a sophomore in college, I just started the school year, and I've been taking time to settle in. I hope this chapter was worth the wait!
> 
> I'll be trying to update more frequently from here on out, but I do have my course load and extracurriculars to think of, so please be patient with me, and I promise I will fulfill my end of the bargain. <3

Alice ran back to the townhouse, cutting through the quiet parts of the city, practically bursting with excitement. She finally had good news to share.

When she slipped into the living room, her mate was the first to greet her, having felt the enthusiasm rolling off of her in waves from almost a mile away. 

“Glad tidings?” Jasper joked, his lips curling up to the side in a sly smile.

Alice floated over to him, placing a kiss on his marble cheek.

“You could say that. Tonight should go over well, if they stay on track.”

“Have you seen it?”

“No,” Alice smiled, “But you could say I have a good feeling about it.”

“You trust him to be alone with her?”

“He has no intentions of hurting Bella,” Alice stated plainly, “Especially not now. He knows her, he likes her. And friendship is good for them, for now, but I’ve seen how this ends.”

Jasper smiled his knowing leer, feeling Alice’s contentment. She was right-- things must be going well, if she was this pleased.

“Does this mean we’ll finally be spared Eddie’s misery porn?” A dry voice asked, having long waited for the day when Edward would stop subjecting them all (especially Edward himself) to his moodiness.

“Hopefully, Rosalie. I’d expect we’re all going to officially meet Bella soon as well, and I hope you’ll be kinder to her than you are Edward,” Alice said, turning to meet Rosalie’s gaze.  
Rosalie had never hated Edward. She’d simply hated what she had been meant to be to him, and that she could never escape his ability. Very little was private in her immortal life, mostly thanks to him. If anything, she had warmth in her heart for this girl, Bella. She only hoped that, once she knew, she never intended to throw all her possibilities away for this non-life in limbo.

“Of course I’ll play nice,” Rosalie drawled, “Don’t I always?”

“Of course you do, babe,” Emmett chuckled, having joined Rosalie, his protective hand on her shoulder.

Alice played along, but she saw through Rose’s act-- beneath the stony exterior, her no-longer-beating heart was made of gold. Decades, even centuries of bitterness wouldn’t change that fact.

They shared a glance, understanding one another. Rosalie was softer than she was made out to be by the rest of the family. She never had any objections to the family growing, though, it would never be in the way that she wished was possible.

“All this is to say,” Alice giggled, almost shuddering with excitement, “I think a dinner is in order soon. We’re all to be on our best behavior! I don’t know if she’ll know yet by then.”

“Don’t worry,” Rosalie chuckled, trying not to steal a glance at Jasper, “It’s not like she’s going to be the meal.”

Jasper and Emmett both stifled a laugh.

\- - -

“Are you hungry, Bella?”

Bella felt like she hadn’t been able to take a deep breath all evening.

When Alice had been accompanying them, she was nervous, but had been able to remind herself that, obviously, this outing wasn’t a “date.” She hadn’t been on one of those in months. Even when she’d been with Jacob, hanging out at places that weren’t her house or somewhere on the rez was rare.

Bella smiled and nodded, trying to breathe evenly when he turned around, telling her he’d take them to his car.

When they reached his Volvo, he waited on the passenger’s side, opening the door for her and closing it gently behind when she sat, before going around to the driver’s side. 

Bella couldn’t remember the last time someone had performed such antiquated acts of chivalry for her. Although part of her screamed that she could handle basic tasks like opening car doors herself, another voice in her head was flattered and satisfied by his little gentlemanly acts.

“What’re you hungry for?” Edward asked, breaking the silence. 

“I’m sort of new to the area,” Bella admitted, “Anything you’d suggest?”

Edward smiled and put the car into drive, pulling onto the street. Apparently, he’d decided on a destination already.

As the engine of the Volvo quietly roared, Edward zipped through the Seattle streets, using back roads and quiet residential streets. Bella wondered how he always seemed to find the emptiest streets, treating them like racetracks.

“Not to knock the driver, but you really take the speed limit as a suggestion, don’t you?”

A chuckle slipped through Edward’s lips.

“I guess you could say I have a knack for knowing when the police are near. I have a perfect record-- I’ve never received a speeding ticket.”

“Even if they tried, you’d probably just dazzle your way out of it,” Bella scoffed, a small smile on her face.

“Dazzle them?” 

Bella blushed, and Edward couldn’t help but smile. Her flushed face was innocent, refreshing-- human.

“Oh, you know what I mean,” Bella managed to mutter, turning away as the heat across her cheeks turned her face crimson.

Edward pulled into the parking lot of an incredibly lavish-looking restaurant, and Bella swallowed, suddenly wondering how much her most recent paycheck had been. Even though she practically ran the cafe alone, she made just enough to have savings, and buy her own groceries.

Edward took notice of her sudden nerves regarding his choice of establishment.

“If you’re at all worried, don’t be. I’m not hungry, so this is my treat,” he explained smoothly, getting out of the driver’s side, headed to open her door.

“Still,” Bella protested, getting out of the car just before he reached the handle, “What college kid can afford a meal at a place like this? I can’t just let you waste your money on me.”

“Bella, I assure you my family is incredibly comfortable, and one meal isn’t going to bankrupt me, nor is it a waste. Let me do this for you,” he said, smiling a reassuring grin, “As your friend.”

Bella wasn’t sure this was the kind of thing friends did for friends (especially tall, dark, and handsome friends with pretty eyes that seemed to change color depending on his mood), but she sensed that Edward wasn’t about to take no for an answer.

“Fine,” She huffed, headed towards the entrance with Edward in tow, “Just this once.”

After an interaction with an over-interested, over-enthusiastic hostess, an incredibly uninterested Edward and a slightly annoyed Bella took their seats at a quiet table for two.

An equally eager waitress, who Edward could clearly hear had gossiped with the hostess before coming to the table, asked their orders, pushing a little too earnestly when Edward said he was "fine, thank you."

"And I'll take a coke," Bella finished, painfully aware of the fact that the waitress wasn't even looking at her.

"Are you _sure_ I can't you anything?"

"I'm fine, thanks," Edward murmured, still looking at Bella, "but I'll also take a Coke."

The waitress, pride now a little wounded, made herself scarce, leaving Edward and Bella to their quiet table for two.

"Well I've put you through quite an evening, haven't I?"

Bella laughed, thinking of Alice's forced shopping spree, and Edward's firm chivalry.

"I can't say I didn't enjoy myself. Apparently the Cullens are good friends to have."

The waitress reappeared with their Cokes and Bella's meal in hand, stealing another glance at Edward before disappearing back to the kitchen. In her thoughts, she wondered if Bella was a sister, a friend, a girlfriend? 

_I mean, surely not his girlfriend, right? I mean, look at him, and look at her._

Edward suppressed a chuckle. He knew the waitress was wrong. Not only was Bella beautiful, but he also longed to know her thoughts the way he did others, to swim and luxuriate in them. They'd be a welcome break from the other streams of consciousness. But maybe that was what enthralled him about her-- so far, he couldn't seem to guess what she was thinking. She hadn't exactly proved to be what he'd call "predictable."

"I just realized," Bella exclaimed, interrupting Edward's reverie, "I don't know your major! Or your hometown, or much else. We covered a lot of my basics, but not many of yours."

Edward would prefer to listen to her backstories, her little details, her reveries-- but since she asked, he'd oblige (what he was allowed, at least).

"Well you know we came to school here from Forks, but we lived in Alaska before finishing out high school there. We've been all over because of Carlisle's work."

"Carlisle?"

Edward smiled. "My father. He's a doctor, world-renowned from what I gather. He and Esme, my adoptive mother, just prefer small town life, I suppose. I'm also majoring in medicine, sort of following in his footsteps."

Truthfully, Edward was in the medical field this time around because Carlisle's hunger for knowledge was just as incredible as his self-control. Edward was only happy to oblige, especially considering all his adoptive father had done for him. And in a way, he was following in Carlisle's footsteps-- although he had many years of practice, he longed for the restraint Carlisle showed.

"I would've guessed a liberal arts focus, but I guess medicine makes sense too. You just seem like the type to want to make art, or teach. You always seem to be writing at the cafe."

Edward smiled, his undead heart soaring. So she took notice of him at her workplace, apparently. Bella blushed, realizing she might've said too much.

Noticing she'd finished her Coke, Edward pushed his untouched glass forward, offering it to her silently. His hand lingered there as she reached for it, their fingers brushing one another for a moment. Bella pulled away a tad instinctively, and Edward almost laughed in spite of himself. Apparently her instincts could register the danger he posed, even if only a little.

"Your hand is so cold," Bella breathed.

"Poor circulation, I guess."

"I guess."

They were both silent for a moment before Bella laughed.

"So what are you, anemic?" She giggled, wondering why, for a moment, she'd been so curious. So sure that no person's skin should be that ice cold.

Edward couldn't help but chuckle. She did have the whole blood-related deficiency part right.

The evening was filled with more of Bella's questions, and more of Edward's tepid, restrained replies. Little did he know, his curiosity surrounding Bella's thoughts was a mutual feeling. She, too, longed to know what went on in that head of his, what turned the gears, and why his answers to her queries always seemed so trepidatious. Although romance had been a forbidden topic since Jacob, she began to wonder if his eyes lingered on her lips when she wasn't paying attention, or if he, too, wanted to know if her hair was as soft as it looked. Or were they just passing thoughts, belonging only to her?

Before they knew it, the evening was coming to a close, the restaurant nearing its closing time. Edward paid the check, much to Bella's chagrin, and they leisurely made their way back to his Volvo, each of them wishing they had just a little longer, each wondering if the other was thinking the same. Edward made a point to slow his roll, driving slower than his usual pace, stretching out their time together. Upon their arrival, he walked her to her door, making sure she made it inside. From his time frequenting the cafe, he'd gathered that Bella was clumsier than your average person, and felt it was best if he ensured she made it home safely.

One wistful goodbye later, Bella slid down to the floor with her back against the wall. She wasn't sure this was what friendship felt like, but she'd take it.

Edward sped home, incredulous. In his wildest dreams, he'd never imagined a chance like this. He'd always envied his parents and siblings for what they had, the one addition to their immortal lives that made it all bearable, all worth it. But Bella wasn't eternally cold or made of marble, and he wondered if he'd be able to protect her-- both from himself, and from others. Worse yet, did she even feel the same?

Edward swiftly pulled into the driveway of the townhouse, his excitement and anxiety alerting Jasper that he was home. Jasper turned to Alice, nodding.

_Since I just know you're wondering, of course she likes you, you fool. Isn't it obvious?_

Edward laughed wryly, exiting the car and making his way inside. He supposed that Alice was actually more of a wingwoman than a cockblock after all.


	5. iced

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again, friends.
> 
> I SINCERELY apologize for my second accidental hiatus. finishing out another semester of college during a global pandemic really takes it out of you. I hope to work on this story some more when I have the time, and give you more incentive to read it! please give me grace, as I am still working, and I am still a college student :'-)
> 
> but honestly, thank you so much to those of you who have taken the time to read my work! even though writing is more a hobby of mine than anything else, it's so gratifying to know people enjoy your work. you guys are fantastic! 
> 
> here's a new chapter for you with a couple of goodies at the end <3

Bella woke feeling hungover, which was sort of impossible, considering she hadn't had a drop of alcohol in months.

She'd have the occasional beer on the Rez with Jacob, standing around some great big bonfire with his charming (but rowdy) friends, get a little buzz, and then Jacob would drive her home (for some reason his tolerance was incredibly high). She'd never even been truly drunk. She wasn't even sure she knew what a hangover felt like, but this was the closest she'd ever come.

Why now? 

Bella dragged herself to the bathroom, forced herself to take a hot shower, and slipped into some clean, warm, and comfortable clothes. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she took a moment to consider the events of the evening prior. 

Maybe this feeling was the aftermath of being drunk on Edward's presence?

God, even the sound of that in her head was completely and utterly cliche.

_Seriously, Bella?_

She laced up her shoes, grabbed the keys to her trusty Chevrolet, and made her way to work.

Edward had had a rather restless, sleepless night. He never slept anyways-- but he could usually find calm in the night. Peace, quiet. All the things humans stole from the day, all the things he couldn't seem to enjoy in the daylight. No streams of consciousness to rattle around in his skull, nothing to tune out. But rather than having one of his usual tranquil evenings, he spent every minute of the precious darkness burning the image of Bella's sleeping frame into his head. Vampires had perfect memory, but Edward wanted to ensure he never forgot a single detail: her pink cheeks and even breathing, her dark hair scattered across her pillow, her small shoulders rising and falling. She was sweet, fragile. So close and yet so far.

Edward was dressed and ready to visit her hours ahead of time, sitting in his room with a Debussy CD, brooding out the window. Jasper, hearing Debussy and having sensed Edward's semi-nihilistic stink from three rooms over, sent Alice to do ground control.

"Something bothering you, stud?" Alice giggled, entering the room and floating to his side.

"Just...feeling hopeless."

"How so?"

Edward sighed, turning to his sister.

"Humans are just that-- human. Breakable, impermanent, dust in the wind. Last night, I couldn't help myself. I saw her sleeping so peacefully, and as much as I wanted to hold her close to me, and keep her safe, I knew that was not and most likely never will be a possibility. How am I supposed to keep her safe when _I'm_ the danger?"

Trying to keep an eye roll at bay, and feeling genuine sympathy for her brother, Alice placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Do you recall when we discussed the concept of 'taking it slow?'"

Edward huffed and fell back onto the seat of the couch, staring at the ceiling.

"I just don't want to muck it all up, Alice. I know I'm being a tad melodramatic, but can you blame me?"

"Why were you in her apartment in the first place? Do you live to torture yourself? Also, Edward, for the love of God, set some boundaries."

Edward was unsure as to why he was spilling his guts to the nosiest of his siblings, who he usually refused the satisfaction, but it felt as if he was overflowing.

"I just wanted to see her. I can't explain it but I just--"

"Feel incredibly protective of her? Perhaps even a little territorial?"

Edward nodded.

"You know, for being over a hundred years old, you do act like a common teenager at times," Alice remarked, giving Edward a gentle _pat pat_ on his shoulder as she stood.

As she made her way out, she stopped in the doorframe, not even turning to look back.

"Edward?"

"Yes, Alice?"

"It's going to be alright, you know. I've seen it. You're on the right track. Just take it easy, okay? You're starting to sound like Atlas with all this weight you're carrying."

And with that, Alice was gone, and Edward found his shoulders felt less heavy.

\- - -

The cafe had reached the slow portion of the afternoon, leaving Bella alone with her thoughts.

As she rinsed her metal pitchers and espresso shot glasses, she wondered why she was so anxious to see a certain tall, dark, handsome, and _cold_ individual. It'd been less than a day since he drove her home, leaving her breathless and unable to sleep. When she finally drifted off, her dreams seemed eager to remind her of her evening out with Edward, making him the focal point of each vague plotline. 

Work had been busy, busy enough to keep her mind and her hands engaged, but every spare moment seemed to be clouded with thoughts of him. Was she stupid to think of him in _that_ way? Was it even remotely possibly that he felt the same?

_Realistically, probably not, no._

And Bella wasn't even rooting for herself. She'd managed to ruin one romance, why try another? Why do anything at all? She liked Alice, and she liked their family. Why go out of her way to screw up the one real friendship she'd made since arriving in Seattle?

The door chimed, and Bella's aggravated thoughts were interrupted. Looking up, she saw Edward, making his way towards his usual spot at the counter.

_Speak of the devil and he shall appear._

In spite of herself, Bella found she was blushing as he drew near. Edward noticed, of course, but politely pretended he had not. 

"Slow day?" he asked, slipping into a seat and leaning onto the cool marble countertop.

"Busy morning, slow afternoon. All of the city folk have somewhere to be this time of day, I s’pose," she joked, putting on her best Forksian redneck impression.

“Careful, you’re starting to sound an awful lot like the people we went to high school with,” Edward chuckled.

“It’s so odd to me that we just missed each other. I think I would’ve remembered if someone had told me about your family, too. You’re all so...striking. I wouldn’t think it’d be that easy for people to forget you.”

Edward nodded, keeping a wry smile at bay. As irregular and extraordinary as he and his siblings were to the average high schooler, their forgettable nature was part of the act. Just another assurance that they could be there one day, gone the next.

“Just one perk of being a ragtag gang of introverts, I guess.”

Bella smiled, familiar with this reserved mentality. Though she’d had an established friend group throughout high school, at times she still felt lost in the crowd. Although Jessica would beg her to come to parties, the movies, or go shopping, so many times Bella found herself making an excuse to stay home. It wasn’t that she thought she was above typical teenage activities, or that she didn’t enjoy time spent with her friends-- some nights, it just felt easier to make herself a meal and a cup of tea, curl up with one of her worn Austens, and fall asleep early. 

She had a feeling Edward was a kindred spirit.

For a moment, Bella was lost in thought, and while in her trance, Edward saw his opportunity.

“When do you get off of work this afternoon?” he blurted out, sure that if he could blush, he would be at this very moment.

Bella snapped out of her trance, turning to Edward, a familiar flush crossing her cheeks. Edward bit back a grin, sure he'd only embarrass her further. But oh, how he wished he could reach out and touch her cheek, feel the flame of her blood rushing to her face under his marble thumb.

Maybe someday soon.

Finally, Bella managed to choke out a response.

"Um, I have another hour and a half until my coworker picks up the evening shift. Were you wanting to do something tonight?" 

"I was hoping to take you out to dinner again, or maybe to a bookstore I know? It's really up to you-- I'm quite familiar with the city, and I wanted to show you some of the sights you might've been missing while being a working woman."

Bella laughed, surprised to know someone else had noticed she was a workaholic. It was all too easy to get wrapped up in her responsibilities; to simply float from classes, to work, then back home, day in and day out. 

The mundane was both a curse and a saving grace-- something to get lost in. Something to distract from the ache of homesickness, the odd feeling that had been haunting her since she’d ended things with Jacob (and, most recently), the new feelings for this enigmatic man she couldn’t seem to escape.

And yet, against her better judgement, her heart soared every time the door chimed and she looked up to find it was his face lighting up the room.

“I think dinner and a trip to the bookstore sounds lovely.”

As the end of Bella’s shift dragged on, Edward retained his spot at the counter, covertly admiring her as she went about her work. He took notice of every sigh and smile, each polite interaction. To know that Bella extended her kindness so easily was...comforting. To see it in action, and know that each stranger felt a little lighter after speaking to her made him appreciate his growing closeness to her. He felt almost proud to know he was not alone in his adoration.

Edward tried his best to ignore the ache in his would-be-beating heart. The looming feeling that, perhaps, he was never going to be good enough for her. How could he be? A monster and an angel-- not exactly a match made in heaven.

He would, of course, eventually have to tell her. About everything. What he was, what that meant, what he was capable of. 

What he had _done_.

Before either of them knew it, Bella’s coworker had arrived, and she was free for the evening. Edward beckoned, and Bella followed, the two walking close, but not close enough to touch. 

Bella wondered to herself what it would be like to walk with him hand in hand. Edward sought after her thoughts again, wishing his gift would extend for just a moment, so he could possess the thoughts that lived hidden in her head.

“You drove to work, would you like to follow my car to the place I had in mind?” Edward asked. He was careful not to try and pressure her into going with him, wary of Alice's warnings. 

Bella nodded, smiling. Looking around, she realized it had snowed during her shift, and the snow was turning to ice on the ground. She smiled, turning back to look at Edward, feeling a little like a kid on a snow day, mesmerized by the falling flakes, and the man in the expensive coat being covered by them.

Suddenly, a car sharply turned into the parking lot, skidding on the packed snow and ice, hurtling past Edward and towards Bella.

_I know I can get over to her in time. I can. But she **cannot** know. Dear god, not yet._

Bella didn’t have time to think, or breathe, or even blink in the face of the car speeding towards her, but suddenly, she felt a force, and she was safely on the ground, Edward over her, the car once hurtling now still.

_How?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised goodies!
> 
> Cold Skin, Hot Coffee pinterest mood board: https://pin.it/4W2FmXS
> 
> Cold Skin, Hot Coffee spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/097KwoGb3Ss0WPQZTkzWFI?si=2gbTpKR3RVqJ-zS5ScYD_Q
> 
> thank you all so much for bearing with me. I'll see you again soon!


End file.
